H (Henk) Schipper

My name is Henk Schipper, and I work as an Education and Research Technician within the Experimental Zoology (EZO) group at Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

As a senior research technician, I am specialized in histological techniques and have extensive experience working with various microscopy methods, including light, fluorescence, contrast, and confocal microscopy. In addition, I serve as the group's IT contact person and data steward.

Within EZO, I manage the shared Histology Laboratory and its facilities. The laboratory is used by researchers and students from seven chair groups within the Department of Animal Sciences at Zodiac. Together with Marcel Jaklofsky from the Human and Animal Physiology group, I ensure that the laboratory remains well-equipped, safe, and fully operational for all users.

Due to my experience with a wide range of histological techniques, including general staining methods, (F)IHC, EHC, ISH, contrasting for Transmission and Scanning EM, I advise colleagues on the most suitable approaches for their research questions. Because our research covers a wide variety of organisms and scientific topics, each project might require a different approach to generate high-quality histological images that help explain how animals function, respond to stimuli, grow, and reproduce.

In my role as IT contact person, I coordinate the hardware and software needs within our chair group. I act as a liaison between my colleagues and the university's IT department, helping to implement new solutions and ensuring that the tools required for teaching and research are available. I also provide first-line support for colleagues, primarily with Windows-based IT issues.

As a data steward, I support researchers and students in managing their research data according to the FAIR principles. I assist with developing Data Management Plans (DMPs) and advise on appropriate long-term data storage solutions. Since our research projects vary greatly in scope and methodology, finding the most suitable data management strategy often requires a project-specific approach.

In addition, I am responsible for maintaining our chair group's website on the Drupal iO WMS platform. I am also a member of the Zodiac Building Housing Committee and serve as an Emergency Responder (BHV).